Feeding device for steam-stokers.



No. 663,867. Patented Dec. 18, I900.

F. W. COX.

FEEDING DEVICE FOBSTEAM STOKERS.

(Application filed May 5, 1900.)

(No Model.)

NITED STATES ATENT truce,

FREDERICK WILLIAM COX, OF TORONTO, CANADA.

FEEDING DEVICE FOR STEAM-STOKERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 663,867, dated December18, 1900. Application filed May 5,1900. Serial No. 15,640%. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, FREDERICK WILLIAM COX, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain, residing at Toronto, in the county of York, in theProvince of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Feeding Devices for Steam-Stokers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in feeding devices forsteam-stokers; and the object of my invention is to design a simple andcheaply-constructed but durable feeding device for steam-stokers thatcan easily be operated by the attendant; and it consists, essentially,of a suitable structure composed of a suitable number of hoppersconstructed so that the coal can be conveniently and quickly dischargedtherefrom by means of gravity, suitable means being provided foroperating means in the discharging end of said hoppers, so asto permitthe coal to flow from said hoppers or else to arrest the flow of coaltherefrom, and other details of constructiou, as hereinafter moreparticularly explained. It will of course be understood that the hoppersdischarge the coal into the usual steam-operated stoker, as indicated inthe drawings, which feeds the coal into the retorts.

Figure l is a general perspective view of my feeding device forsteam-stokers, parts being broken away, showing the construction andoperation of the same. Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the frontportion of two of the hoppers, showing the construction of the operatingparts more fully.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

A is the feeding device itself, which is divided into any suitablenumber of hoppers B, O, and D. The said feeding device is preferablymade of sheet-iron or sheet-steel and is supported upon any suitablebase or platform by suitable supports E. Suitably secured to the walls Fand F, as by rivets f, and at such an angle as to permit the speedy flowof coal thereover are the floors Gof the several hoppers. The walls Fand F are provided with extending wings H, which extend any suitabledistance above the floors G and down the sides of their discharge ends.These said extending wings prevent coal from falling from the sides ofsaid discharging ends of said hoppers. Having suitable bearingat eachend in the walls F and F, as at e, by their bent ends I are bars J, towhich are suitably secured any suitable number of teeth K, which operatein the elongated slots L, formed in the floors G and near theirdischarging ends. I preferably make the teeth or claws K tapered frombase to top of tooth or claw, and also preferably make them curved. Thesaid curved teeth or claws are preferably secured to the bars J, so thatthe Whole curvature of each tooth can be for all intents and purposesdescribed as describing one and the same arc, concentric with the aredescribed by the said bars. These curved and tapered teeth I find whenthe bars J are being returned to normal position can be forced betweenthe pieces of coal much easier than if they were straight, as they shoveupwardly and backwardly against the coal. Unrotatably secured on theends I of the bars J, which are journaled in the wall F, are arms M, N,and O, which are provided with handles 0. Pivoted on the pin P, securedin the wall F, are a number of lovers Q, R, and S, the operated ends ofwhich are connected by rods T to the arms O, N, and M, respectively. On.the ends I of the bars J, which have bearing in the wall F, are securedarms U, provide-d with an adjustable weight a, as shown in dotted linesin Fig. 2. These said weighted arms are unrotatable and-balance themovement of the bars J, so that when the said bars are moved into aposition they will remain in that position. Having bearing in the WallsF and F, as shown at g, are a number of feeders V, which have rigidlysecu red to their outer ends, having bearing in the wall F,ratchet-wheels W, which are operated by toothed levers Y, pivoted to thearms M, N, and 0. These said toothed levers are held in contact with theratchet-wheels W by the springs Z, secured to the wall F. Suitablysecured in front of the feeders V to the floor G of the hoppers O and Dand extending for the whole length of said feeders are protecting-platesm. These said protecting-plates prevent the coal from jamming againstthe feeders m, and so prevent them from rotating. The feeders V areprovided for their whole length with vanes 12, which come in contactwith the coal and gradually feed it toward the discharge end 0 thehopper. A

It will of course be understood that I can construct the feeders V withteeth in place of the vanes v or in any other suitable manner for thepurpose required.

Having now described the principal parts of my invention, I shalldescribe its operation.

To feed coal into the stoker n, the lever R (we will take forillustration) is moved into the position shown in Fig. 1, moving the armN upwardly, thus moving the bar J into the position shown, thus movingthe teeth or claws K out of the slots L and out of the path of movementof the coal in this hopper, so that the said coal will have anunobstructed flow therefrom into the stoker 'n. Simultaneously the arm Nis being moved upwardly the lever Y is also moved upwardly, revolvingthe feeder V by means of the ratchet-wheel W. When sufficient coal haspassed into the stoker, the arm R .is returned to normal, bringing theother parts before described back to normal. It will of course beunderstood that the levers Q and S and their connected parts operate inthe same manner as the lever B and its connected parts before described.Th'e hoppers B, O, and D are of course filled from the top in the usualmanner. I do not find it necessary in the hopper B to place aprotecting-plate before the feeder therein, as the coal is not apt tojam the said feeder, as its vanes 11 operate very close to the lower endof the front plate B of the said hopper. The size of coal used will ofcourse determine the closeness of the teeth or claws K. In case theattendant is not up high enough to reach any of the lovers Q, R, or S hecan feed coal into the stoker by taking hold of the handle 0 of any ofthe arms M, N, or O and operate the mechanism, as before described, bymoving the required arm upwardly.

In carrying out my invention it will of course be understood that I canuse as many hoppers as required in constructing my feeding device.

From this specification it will be seen that my feeder is cheaplyconstructed, positive in action and easy to operate, and will not getout of order.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A feeding device for stokers comprising a hopper constructed at thebest angle to utilize gravity for convenient discharge of coaltherefrom, supports for same, a suitable counterbalanced bar journaledin the walls of said hopper and extending for the whole width of saidhopper and operated underneath the discharging end thereof, suitablecurved teeth secured in alinement to one another in said counterbalancedbar, the said teeth extending up through slots in said discharging endinto the path of movement of the coal in the hopper and operated fordetermining the quantity of coal discharged from said hopper, andsuitable means for operating said counterbalanced bar and curved teethsecuredthereto, as set forth and for the purpose specified.

2. A feeding device for stokers comprising a hopper constructed at thebest angle to utilize gravity for the convenient discharge of coaltherefrom, supports for same, a suitable feeder having bearing in saidhopper and situated a suitable distance above the floor of said hopper,means for revolving same, a suitable counterbalanced bar journaled inthe walls of the hopper and extending for the whole width of said hopperand operated underneath the discharging end thereof, suitable curvedteeth secured in alinement to one another in said counterbalanced bar,the said teeth extending up through slots in said discharging end intothe path of movement of the coal in the hopper and operated fordetermining the quantity of coal discharged from said hopper, andsuitable means for operating said counterbalanced bar and curved teethsecured thereto, as set forth and forthe purpose specified.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with the hopper,fioor thereof and slots therein, of the bar J, having bearing in saidhopper, teeth secured to said bar, and means for operating said bar, asset forth and for the purpose specified.

4:. In a device of the class described the combination with the hopper,floor thereof and slots therein, of the counterbalanced bars J, havingbearing in said hopper, teeth so secured to said bar that they willdescribe an arc concentric with the arc described by said bars, feedersV, having bearing in said hop- .per and constructed as described, meansfor operating said feeders V, and an arm attached to said bar J, foroperating same, as set forth and for the purpose specified.

5. In a device of the class described the combination with the hopper,fioor thereof and slots therein, of the counterbalanced bar J, havingbearing in said hopper and situated underneath said floor, curvedtapered-teeth K, so secured to said bar that that they will describe anarc concentric with the are described by said bar, feeder V, havingbearing in said hopper, and constructed as described, ratchetwheelrigidly secured on one end of said Leggy described, and describedoperating means for In testimony whereof I have signed my same, andfeeders V, constructed, supported,

name to this specification in the presence of plates m, secured to thefloors G, and extending so as to prevent the jamming of said feeders bythe coal, all arranged as set forth and for the purpose specified.

FREDERICK WILLIAM COX. Witnesses:

EGERTON R. (Law,

and operated as described, of the protectingi two subscribing witnesses.

l L. O. REYNOLDS.

